Cavs mock draft roundup: Cavaliers projected to add international bigs
Cleveland could be looking at adding a draft-and-stash big man.
The Cleveland Cavaliers have two late second-round picks to fill out their roster. While it’s not common to hit on either the 49th or 58th picks in the NBA Draft, the Cavs will need to have some of their later draft picks or undrafted free agents work out if they want to continue to win with their depth. That will only become more challenging with the restrictions that the second apron imposes.
Let’s take a look at how the draft experts have the Cavs taking in our latest mock draft roundup.
Bleacher Report - John Tonje and Lachlan Olbrich
49th pick - John Tonje is a 6’5” shooting guard from Wisconsin. He averaged 18.9 points and 5.3 rebounds per game. Nearly half of his shot attempts came beyond the arc, where he went 38.8% on 5.9 shots per game.
Tonje has a well-rounded offensive game for someone who is most known as being a movement shooter. That should allow him to fit into whatever offense he’s in. His lack of athleticism and age (24) are two of the concerns that could cause him to fall to 49.
Here’s what Jonathan Wasserman says about the projected pick:
After four years at Colorado State and one with Missouri, John Tonje put himself in the draft discussion by averaging 19.6 points for Wisconsin. He made 85 threes and 231 free throws (90.9 percent FT), as Tonje’s shotmaking and physical driving ability have become worth looking into for teams late in the second round.
58th pick - Lachlan Olbrich is a 6’10”, 21-year-old big from Australia. He played last season for Illawarra in the NBL and averaged 8.7 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 1.6 assists per game on .602/.091/.564 shooting splits.
This is what Wasserman wrote about Olbrich:
Lachlan Olbrich double-doubled in both NBA combine scrimmages and didn’t look out of place in spite of athletic limitations.
His instincts were evident and functional for timing dives to the basket, spin moves and offensive rebounds. He showed advanced footwork and body control to create separation and touch to convert from different angles.
NBADraft.net - Kam Jones and Jalon Moore
49th pick - Kam Jones is a 23-year-old, 6’4” combo guard who averaged 19.2 points, 5.9 assists, and 4.5 rebounds per game on .483/.311/.648 shooting splits with Marquette. While the raw totals are solid, the outside shooting and questionable athleticism have left him as a late second-round prospect.
Here’s what Aran Smith said about Jones for NBADraft.net:
He is capable of running the point and has made major strides as a facilitator, giving him real appeal as a secondary creator … His age and athletic limitations push him into the second round to undrafted range, but his skill level, experience, and basketball IQ make him one of the more ready-made backcourt prospects in this class … Some stylistic similarities to a less physically gifted Lance Stephenson — with strength off the bounce, but without the extreme bully-ball mentality or flamboyance … If placed in a system that values pace, spacing, and ball movement, he could thrive in a complementary backcourt role and grow into a reliable offensive spark off the bench.
58th pick - Jalon Moore is a 6’6” wing that put up 15.9 points and 5.8 rebounds per game on .471/.381/.840 shooting splits. The 22-year-old has a well-rounded offensive game — especially as a shooter — but there are some concerns about his defense.
Below is Ersin Demir’s assessment of Moore for Ersin’s NBA Draft Newsletter:
I project Jalon Moore to be a great candidate to land a two-way contract in undrafted free agency. His value as a spot-up shooter, alongside his physical tools, gives NBA teams two vital assets to continue to strengthen their depth. The defensive issues keep him from getting his name called on draft night. Regardless, the versatility of his defense with enough flashes and promise of improvement should lead to some NBA scouts getting convinced during team workouts.
ESPN - Michael Ružić and Mouhamad Faye
49th pick - Michael Ružić is an 18-year-old, 6’10” Coatián forward who spent last season playing in Spain. He averaged 2.4 points and 1.5 rebounds in 10.9 minutes per game with .471/.200/.308 shooting splits in 16 games for Joventut.
This is what Kevin O’Connor’s scouting report said about Ruzic for Yahoo Sports:
Ružić is a raw Croatian forward who was born in France and now plays in Spain. He projects as a knockdown shooter with passing feel, though at only 18 until October he is incredibly raw physically.
Last season, Ruzic averaged 2.4 points and 1.5 rebounds in 10.9 minutes per game with .471/.200/.308 shooting splits in 16 games for Joventut.
58th pick - Mouhamad Faye is a young, 20-year-old center who played for Reggio Emilia in Italy this past season. The 6’9” big averaged 10.3 points and eight rebounds in 28 games played on 66.3% shooting from the floor and 59.7% from the line.
Here’s a snippet of Ersin Demir’s projection of Faye for Ersin’s NBA Draft Newsletter:
There will be multiple suitors betting on his tantalizing defensive potential on top of the basic rim-running and play-finishing character of his offensive game. His offense is still raw compared to the defense, thus potentially leading to Faye being a stashed pick for the next few years. Regardless, there’s potential available for him to play NBA minutes in a few seasons from now.